Trench construction



Marfil] 15', 1949; DE W|TT WYATV-l 2,464,363

l TRENCH CONSTRUCTION Filed sept. '7, 1945 1in EL? '2" Illing!!! a f 15g Patented Mar. 15, 1949 UNITED STAT PTNT @FFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to trench construction and is particularly directed to the provision of an improved trench for receiving pipes or conduits employed in transmitting heated and other lluids.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved trench construction for the reception oi steam-receiving pipes or the like, and wherein provision is made for supporting said pipes, and insulating the same against heat loss, when in underground positions.

It is another object of the invention to provide improved means -for insulating and protecting industrial and central heating pipe systems or conduits that is simple to install, low in cost and of long operating life.

A further object is to provide a pipe-receiving trench composed of a plurality of tile blocks -formed with longitudinally extending channels for the reception of pipes or conduits, suspension devices being carried by said blocks and arranged Within the channels thereof for effecting the support of one or more pipes within said channels in spaced relation from the walls of the latter, 4whereby with the pipes so supported loose bulk insulating materials are receivable within the channels to completely surround the pipe or pipes arranged therein, whereby to minimize loss in temperature of heated fluids passed through said pipes.

For a further understanding of the invention, and additional objects and advantages thereof, reference is to be had to the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partly in vertical section, of an insulating pipe-receiving trench formed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken through the same;

Fig. 3 is a similar View of a modied form.

Referring more partcularly to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates, in their entirety, vitriiied clay trench blocks which form the major elements of the present invention. These blocks are adapted to be positioned in abutting longitudinally aligned order in a soil trench E, or the blocks may be positioned on the soil and beneath the iiooring of a building. The adjoining ends of the blocks may be united, as at l, by means of mortar, adhesive tape, or placed merely in end to end abutting relationship. The blocks are formed internally so that they may be produced by standard stiff clay extrusion machinery.

In vertical cross section, as shown in Fig. 2 particularly, each block is of rectangular outline, having vertical side Walls B, a bottom Wall 9 and lil internal reenforcing ribs il), all of integral construction. 1F'he internal ribs are shaped to produce a longitudinally extending, open-ended pipereceiving chamber il, which opens to the top of the block and is coextensive with the length of the latter. Below the chamber il, there is provided by the ribs ill, a parallel drain passage i3 for the reception of moisture from the chamber il, one oi the lower horizontal ribs of the block being formed with openings ld providing communication between the chamber i l and the passage 3. rEhe weight of the block is llghtened by providing longitudinally extending openings l5 between the walls 8 and 9 and the ribs i9, although, ii desired, the openings l5 may be used for the reception of electrical cables or the like.

The top oi each block is longitudinally recessed as at l5 and, at longitudinally spaced intervals, vertical slots il communicate with the recesses. In order to support pipe members, shown at it, within the longitudinally registering chambers or channels li of the blocks, use is made of a plurality of spaced stirrup-type hangers or straps i9. The ends of each oi these hangers or straps are laterally bent as at il for engagement with the horizontal surfaces of the recesses l5 and then downwardly bent as at 2i for reception in the slots il. The hangers he of different lengths or heights so that two or more pipe members may be supported in parallel vertical order within the chamber of each block.

The construction of the hangers takes care of pipe expansion and contraction in a simple and efficient manner and, moreover, eliminates thel need for expensive roller-type supports. It will be understood that the hangers may be either round or iiat in transverse cross section. Through the use of the hangers, the pipe members are spaced from the inner Walls of the chamber Il, providing space for the reception of a bulk, looselill or other form of thermal insulation, so that the construction will be thoroughly eicient in the transmission of heated or refrigerated fluids.

The open upper ends of the pipe-receiving chambers H of said blocks are closed by means oi semicircular cover tiles 22, the latter being coextensive with the length of each block and the lower longitudinal edges thereof rest upon the horizontal surfaces of the recesses I6. One or more of these cover tiles may be formed with vertical extensions 23 for the reception of vertical pipes or valve stems communicating with the horizontal pipe members i8. Also, the extensions 23 may be used as vents for the escape of confined gases Which may be present in the chambers Il.

A trench thus formed provides a completely satisfactory method or means for laying high or 10W pressure power and heating lines and pipe for the transmission of steam, water, oil, refrigerants or other liquids in locations disposed underground, outdoors, beneath factory floors and Walls, and in all otherlocations where insulated conduits are needed. The vent channels 23 in the cover tiles permit free escape of vapors, and the drainage channels I3, in the bottoms of said blocks, prevent any accumulation of liquid. The blocks may also be laid to prevent moisture infiltration therein, so that the side openings l may be used, if desired, for communication and other electrical lines. Each block possesses a high insulating value aside from the insulation placed therein, thus further assisting in reducing heat losses. Also, the blocks are formed to possess high structural strength in order to avoid damage thereto from superimposed or extraneous loads. Another important advantage is to be found in the fact that the pipe members to be installed may be tted together on the ground and lowered into the blocks after assembly thereof.

The invention is, of course, subject to certain modification Without departure from its essential features of construction. Thus, as shown in Fig. 3, a ceramic enclosure for supporting underground pipe members is produced by forming said enclosure to consist of a pair of spaced longitudinally extending side tiles 2d, a separate bottom tile 25 and a similar top tile 25. The meeting surfaces of these tiles are longitudinally grooved, as at 21, for the reception of mortar, cement, bituminous compounds or other similar bonding and sealing agents. Other Variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art and, therefore, I reserve the right to employ all such modifications that may be said to fall fairly within the scope of the following claims. For example, while I prefer to form the trench blocks from extruded iired clay bodies, it is obvious that I may use other equivalent materials, such as cement or concrete, in the manufacture thereof.

I claim:

l. A conduit-receiving trench block, comprising an integral cellular body having an internal longitudinally extending conduit-receiving chamber, the latter being open to the top of the block, conduit-supporting stirrups positioned in said chamber, said stil-rups having hook-shaped upper ends receivable in slots provided in the upper portions of said block contiguous to the chamber, and a separable cover member positionable on the top of said block to enclose said chamber and its contents.

2. A conduit-receiving trench block, comprising an integral cellular body having an internal longitudinally extending conduit-receiving chamber, the latter being open to the top of the block, conduit-supporting stirrups positioned in said cham.. ber, said stirrups having hook-shaped upper ends receivable in slots provided in the upper portions of said block contiguous to the chamber, a separable cover member positionable on the top of said block to enclose said chamber and its contents, and a mass of heat insulating material disposed in said chamber to surround a conduit supported in the chamber by said stirrups,

A ceramic conduit-receiving trench block, comprising a tile body substantially rectangular in its transverse cross-sectional conguration, said body being formed to include spaced inner and outer Walls united by integral ribs, said inner walls denning an internal open-topped conduitreceiving chamber having spaced upper edges,

stirrups engaged with said upper edges and depending within said chamber to support entirely within the confines of the latter one or more conduits in spaced relation from said inner walls, and a mass of heat-insulating material disposed in said chamber to completely surround a conduit.

DE WITT H. WYATT.

REFERENCES crrnn The following references are of record in the rlle of this patent:

'UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 268,927 Newton Dec. 12, 1882 384,860 Meehan June 19, 1888 l112,095 Johnson Oct. 1, 1889 429,041 Lynch May 27, 1890 754,884 McFarlane Mar. 15, 1904 1,357,702 Gottwald Nov. 2, 1920 1,859,864 Christie May 24, 1932 1,931,465 Gysling Oct. 17, 1933 

